This short hymn about the Holy Rosary is almost not a hymn on account of its brevity - just three strophes long with no refrain.
Secondly, the hymn is more than just about the Rosary. Like many of the old hymns, it is catechetical - it teaches Catholic doctrine. And this hymn teaches about the Communion of Saints.
But, first, the hymn :
LYRICS
O gai Lisåyo, Bithen Maria,
(O Virgin Mary, Lady of the Rosary)
mames na Nånan i taotao siha.
(sweet mother of the people.)
Oppan gi tano' : Åbe Maria!
(It resounds on earth : Ave Maria!)
Åbe bula hao gråsia.
(Ave full of grace.)
O gai Lisåyo, Bithen Maria,
(O Virgin Mary, Lady of the Rosary)
mames na Nånan i anghet siha.
(sweet mother of the angels.)
Oppan gi langet: Åbe Maria!
(It resounds in heaven : Ave Maria!)
Åbe bula hao gråsia.
(Ave full of grace.)
O gai Lisåyo, Bithen Maria,
(O Virgin Mary, Lady of the Rosary)
mames na Nånan i ånte siha.
(sweet mother of the Souls in Purgatory.)
Oppan gi guafe : Åbe Maria!
(It resounds in the fire of Purgatory : Ave Maria!)
Åbe bula hao gråsia.
(Ave full of grace.)
EARTH - HEAVEN - FIRE
As you can see, the hymn speaks about PEOPLE on EARTH; ANGELS in HEAVEN and SOULS in the FIRE (of Purgatory).
These are the three communities that make up the Church. These three communities are on EARTH, in HEAVEN and in PURGATORY.
We also call them the CHURCH MILITANT, the CHURCH SUFFERING and the CHURCH TRIUMPHANT.
First of all, there is you and me. We're still here on earth, struggling hard, with the help of God's grace found in prayer and Sacraments, to abide by the Lord's teachings even though the world goes by its own rules, and we face hardships of every kind. It is a real battle, spiritually. So the Church fighting the spiritual battle is called the Church Militant.
After we have died and left the battle field of the earth, most of us will go through Purgatory where we will purified of all that is in us that isn't worthy of heaven - our imperfections, the harm we did while on earth that we haven't repaired, the penances never done and so on. This delay of heaven is of immense suffering to the soul in Purgatory, who longs for heaven but cannot enter it for a while. The Church enduring the pains of Purgatory therefore is called the Church Suffering.
And on that blessed day that our souls, now made spotless for heaven, enter the full vision of God, we will rejoice in God's presence, with the saints and angels. The Church that enjoys the perfect joy of heaven is called the Church Triumphant.
All three communities that make up the Church are spiritually united with each other. Death does not separate us on earth from the Souls in Purgatory, who need our prayers, and the Saints in Heaven, who pray for us. This is what we call the Communion of Saints.
Our Lady is Queen and Mother of all three parts that make up the Church. She is with the Church Triumphant in heaven, praying for us the Church Militant on earth and also for the Church Suffering in Purgatory.
GERMAN ORIGINAL
Lawrence Borja has found a German hymn on which the Chamorro one is based.
Not only is the melody the same, the subject of the hymn is the same, i.e. Our Lady of the Rosary. The German title is Rosenkranzkönigin, which means "Queen of the Rosary." The composer was the German priest Michael Haller. Påle' Román used Haller's hymns quite a bit when writing Chamorro versions of hymns.
No comments:
Post a Comment